US and Iran at war: Trump hesitates, Israel plans next three weeks – and Germany is left out
It's March 19, 2026, and the war in the Middle East is entering its third week. What began as a retaliatory strike has long since turned into a full-blown regional conflict engulfing the entire area. With the US and Israel launching new airstrikes almost daily, the question is no longer whether the conflict will escalate, but just how deep it will drag the region and the global economy into the abyss. And at the centre of it all: a US president unwilling to pull the plug, and an Israel preparing for the long haul.
Trump's hesitation: "The conditions aren't good enough yet"
Conflicting signals have been coming out of the White House lately. On one hand, Donald Trump insists that Iran wants a deal. On the other, he's the one blocking it. In a confidential chat with US journalists this week, he dropped a bombshell: "Iran wants an agreement, and I don't, because the conditions aren't good enough yet." For Trump, any deal has to be "very robust" – meaning Iran must completely abandon its nuclear ambitions. A clear goal, but the path there is bloody. Meanwhile, the death toll in Iran has surpassed 3,000, according to local human rights activists. At least 1,319 civilians, including 206 children, are reportedly among the victims. Figures that have sparked international horror but haven't managed to halt the military machinery so far.
Israel gears up for weeks of fighting
While Trump plays for time, Israel is taking action. The military is prepared to continue the war for at least another three weeks. A military spokesperson hinted that there are still "thousands of targets" on the list inside Iran – and operations are expected to continue until the Jewish holiday of Passover, which begins early April this year. This is no longer just about symbolic strikes. Israel aims to sustainably destroy Iran's military infrastructure. Particularly explosive: the US deployment of bunker-buster bombs. The GBU-72, weighing over two tonnes, were used to take out Iranian missile positions near the Strait of Hormuz. The strait, a global oil trade choke point, is now effectively paralysed.
The invisible ally: The story of US aid to Iraq
You don't need to be a historian to see history's irony. Today, the US is hitting Iran with full force. But there was a time when Washington and Baghdad were allies against a common enemy. Reading headlines today about "US support for Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War" might make you shake your head in disbelief. Back in the 1980s, during the bitter war between Iran and Iraq, the US unequivocally sided with Saddam Hussein – despite all his human rights abuses. It was the fear of the Iranian revolution spreading that drove Washington into that alliance back then. Intelligence, satellite imagery, and even direct military aid flowed to Baghdad to keep Iran in check. Today, just over 40 years later, the axis has shifted. Now it's the US itself, alongside Israel, dropping bombs over Tehran. A historic backflip that shows just how quickly geopolitical coordinates can shift.
Protest from within: Counter-terror chief resigns
Even within the inner circles of the US government, discontent is growing. The director of the National Counterterrorism Center, a Republican and usually a Trump ally, has thrown in the towel. His accusation carries weight: the war was started at Israel's urging, not because the US was directly threatened. A remarkable development showing that not even everyone in the "Maga movement" backs the current strategy. Pressure on Trump is mounting – not just from outside, but from within.
Germany and Europe: Caught between concern and keeping distance
In Europe, developments are being watched with concern. Fuel prices in Germany remain high, and experts don't expect any quick relief. "As long as the Strait of Hormuz is blocked, the oil price won't drop," predicts a geopolitics expert. The economic fallout is already massive. Politically, Germany is keeping its distance. Chancellor Friedrich Merz made it unmistakably clear in parliament: "Washington did not consult us." There will be no German participation in securing shipping routes – there's simply no plan or mandate for it. They don't want to alienate the partner, but they won't blindly rush into a war whose end no one can foresee.
What's next?
The situation is deadlocked. Despite heavy blows, Iran is still showing it can fight back and has even attacked energy facilities in Qatar – a dangerous move that directly pulls the Arab Gulf states into the conflict. Trump responded by threatening the complete destruction of Iran's South Pars gas field. The spiral of escalation is spinning faster and faster. What's clear:
- Militarily: Israel is prepared for at least three more weeks of combat.
- Economically: Energy prices stay high, the Strait of Hormuz is blocked.
- Politically: Even in the US, resistance is stirring, Europe is keeping its distance.
What remains is hope for a miracle. Or the bitter realisation that this war is far from over. The third week has only just begun.